Treaty's Daughter (Book one of The Ranger and The Thief series)

Chapter 2

   "Abby? What are you doing here?" Gilan asked as she stepped into his office. She looked awful. Her hair looked worse then it ever had and she was covered in filth and grime. She couldn't hold it in. The second he finished speaking, she let out a sob and ran into his arms. Her Godfather had always been able to comfort her when she was stressed, or the one time she broke her finger, he was there to comfort her. He held her, not speaking a word until she had finally stopped crying. She wiped her nose on her sleeve and rubbed her temples softly. She had cried so hard on the way to Araleun that she had a headache. She couldn't see through all the tears, So it was Timbers job to lead her safely to the castle. It had been a weeks ride, since she did get lost a few times.

"What's the matter, Abby?" He asked. His voice was soothing and she let out a shuddering sigh.

"My mother was killed." She said hesitantly. Gilan said nothing for a moment, just stared at her unbelieving her words.

"No, that can't be right, Abby, we got report two weeks ago that Alyss was headed back home." He said. She glared at him.

"My mother is dead." she said a little more forcefully. Gilan swallowed hard and refused to meet his Goddaughters gaze. He called for a page and told him to fetch Princess Cassandra and Sir Horace. Abby bit her lip.

"I don't want to see them right now, Gil. Must they come now?" She asked. He glared at her.

"Abby, one of our Couriers, and old friends has been killed. They deserve to know." He said. He had a tone of authority. He had become the corps commandment two years before, when Crowley had died.

"Well I don't want to see them." She said, folding her arms. He let out a sigh of defeat and pointed at the door to her right.

"Those are my personal quarters." He said. She nodded her thanks and rushed to the door, shutting it behind her. It wasn't a fancy room, but than again, Rangers prefered to be simple in the matter of decorations. It had a plain bed and two arms chairs next to the fireplace, along with a bed side table. She went to the window and stared at the veiw. He may not decorate that well, but he definitely had the best veiw in the castle.

"Hello, Gilan, you wanted to see us?" she heard Princess Cassandras muffled voice through the door. She ran to the door and pressed her ear against it. She didn't want them to see her, she didn't want their sympathy. She only wanted to talk to Gilan, but that didn't mean she didn't want to hear what the princess would say. Gilan said nothing for a moment. Abby looked through the keyhole in the door to get a look. The couple were sitting down, holding hands. Gilan stared at his hands for a moment before speaking.

"There has been a horrible accident with one of the Couriers. I just heard the news and I just looked up more details on the matter. She was crushed under a burning inn. She was safe out side, but there was a little girl trapped inside. She ran back in to save her. She saved the girl, but the inn crashed on top of her before she could escape herself." Gilan said. He looked distraught as he let out a shuddering sigh, looking at Cassandra.

"That's horrible!" The princess gasped. But Horace stared at Gilan in horror.

"What was her name?" Horace asked forcfully. Cassandra glared at Horace, but Gilan and Horace was staring into each others eyes.

"Alyss." Gilans voice cracked as he said her name, and he cleared his throat before dropping his gaze from Horace.

"No!" Cassandra stood, pushing back her chair. "It can't be Alyss! What of Abby? And Will? They will be crushed! Will can't live without her!" Gilan nodded as the princess spoke.

"No eleven year old girl needs to go through that." Gilan said. Horace glared at him.

"No child in general." He growled. All of them knew that Horace had lost his parents at a young age.

"Abby needs her mother, especially at this critical time." Cassandra said, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Well what are we to do with her?" Horace asked. Gilan held up his hand.

"What do you mean? We don't do anything with her. Will is still her father. He gets to decide what happens to her." Gilan said. Horace and Cassandra nodded a bit.

"But, Gil, I think Abby should come here for at least a week. I want to go check up on Will. He could be mentally unable to raise a child." Horace said. Gilan was silent for a moment as he considered it for a moment.

"Agreed." He said. Abby couldn't take it anymore. She opened the door and revealed herself to the princess and her husband.

"You can't keep me here. I want to go back to my dad." She said sternly. When Cassandra caught sight of her, she burst into tears.

"Oh Abby!" She embraced Abby so tightly, she couldn't breath.

"You understand why we can't have you leave, right Abby?" Horace asked. She glared at him.

"My mother is gone. Don't take me from my father too." She said in a dangerously low voice. Horace glanced at Gilan for help.

"Abby, Your father has just suffered something very tramatic. We can't count on him to take care of you properly." Gilan said. Abby said nothing. Than she turned to Horace.

"I'll come with you. Maybe if he is like that, I can help." She said. Her tone dared them to argue with her. Even for an eleven year old, she was very Courier like.

"Fine."

***

The next morning, Horace and Abby left Castle Araluen for Redmont fife. They were silent most of the way there. Horace had never really been able to talk to the small girl one on one. He had his own daughter, Maddie, who had just turned fifteen. She was a handful for both him and Cassandra. She didn't listen to them that well. Horace couldn't even imagine how stubborn Abby could be. Both of her parents were some of the most stubborn people he had ever met. For all he knew, their daughter could be ten times worse, so he kept quiet.

      Within four days, they reached the small cabin in the woods. Abby found it odd that Tug had not greeted them. She dismounted and ran into the stables, seeing Tug was gone. She checked the cabin to see her father was also gone. He had left the cabin in a messy state also. She shuddered at the sight. Her mother had taught her to never accept a messy room, unless it was a crime scene of coarse.

  "Is he here?" Horace asked. She shut the door behind her and shook her head.

"He might be up at the castle with Halt and Lady Pauline." She said. "He visits them a lot, them and Baron Arald and Lady Sandra." Horace nodded and mounted his battle horse and led the way out of the clearing.

    Will was not at the castle either, but Halt did know where he was.

"He was a totally different Will then we know. I have never seen him look like that in my life." Halt said, still horrified about the whole matter. He had considered Alyss his daughter, and anger towards the men who had burned down the Wyvern Inn. "He said very little. He said he was off to Anselm fife to look for Jory Ruhl. Than he dropped Sable off and left." Halt explained, petting the dog on her head. Abby sank to her knees and hugged Sable tightly.

"Abby, You have to come back to Castle Araluen with me." Horace said. She flashed him a glare.

"Why can't I stay with Halt?" She whined. She looked at Halt, giving him a pleading look.

"Sorry Abby. I can't. Pauline is making me go see my nephew, Sean. He's the king of Hibernia. Haven't seen him in a few years." Halt said. Abby let out a deep sigh and looked up at Horace, defeated.

"Fine, I'll go with you. But only if Sable can come too." She said. Horace nodded and smiled slightly.

"Of course." he said. She stood, kissed Halt on his bearded cheek and She, Horace and Sable left.